The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-10-19
The Drafting of the Federal Consti.
tuition.
BY John FISKE.


Finally it was decided that the Federal
Constitution, as now completed, shoulo
be presented to the Continental Congress
and then referred to special conventions
in all the States for ratification ana tha'
when nine States, or two thirds Of the
whole number should have ratified. II
should at once go into operation as be-
ween such ratifying States.
When the great document was at las!
drafted by Governor Morris, and was al
ready for the signatures, the aged Frank
lin produced paper, which was read for
him. as his voice was weak. Some parts
of this Constitution, he said, he did not
approye. but he was astonished to hnd II
SO nearly perfect. Whatever opinion ne
had of its errors he would sacrifice to the
public good, he hoped that every mem oer
of the convention who still had oDlecton
would on this occasion doubt little OF
his own infallibility, and for the sake OF
unanimity put his name to TINS 1nstru- si,.
members, he said, by refusing to sign,
might do infinite mischief. No mans
ideas could be more remote from the
plan than his were known to be; but was
It possible for true patriot to deliberate
between anarchy and convulsion on the
one side, and the chance of good to be ex-
pected from this plan, OH the other
From these appeals as we'll as from
Washineton's solem warning at the out
set. we see how distinctly it was realized
that the country was on the verge ofcivil
war. Most of the members felt so, but to
some the new government seemed far
too strong, and there were three who
dreaded despotism even more than an
archy. Mason, Randolph, and Gerry re-
| CnnDhf
to qualify his refusal by explaining that
he could not make up his mind whether
to oppose or defend the Constitution,
when it should be laid before the people
of Virginia. He wished to reserve to
himself full liberty of action in the mat
ter. That Mason and Gerry, valuable as
their services had been in the making OF
the Constitution, would now go home and
vigorously oppose it, there was no doubt.
OF the delegates who were present on the
last day of the convention, all but these
three signed the Constitution. In the
signatures the twelve States which had
taken part in the work were all repre-
sented, Hamilton signing alone for New
York.
Thus after four months of anxious toll,
through the whole of scorching Phila-
delphia summer, after earnest hut some
times bitter, discussion, in which more
than once the meeting had seemed on the
point of breaking up, colossal work had
at last been accomplished, the results OF
which were most powerfully to affect the
whole future career of the human race SO
long as it shall dwell upon the earth. In
spite of the high-wrought intensity OF
feeling which had been now and then
displayed, grave decorum had ruled the
proceedings; and now, though few were
really satisfied, the approach to unanimity
was remarkable. When all was oyer, il
is said that many of the members seemed
awe-struck. Washington sat with head
bowed in solemn meditation. The scene
was ended by a characteristic bit o.
homely pleasantly from Franklin Thir'
ty-three years ago in the days Of George
! II. before the first mutterings Of the
Revolution had been heard, and when
the French dominion in America was
still untouched, before the Punishment o.
the Acadians or the rout of Braddock
while Washington was still surveying
lands in wildernesses, while Madison was
playing in he nursery and Hamilton
was not vet born, Franklin had endeav'
ored to bring together the thirteen colo
nies in a federal union. Of the famous
Albany plan of l754, the first outline of 6
federal constitution for America that ever
was made, he was the principal, if not
the sole author. When he signed his
name to the Declaration of Independence
in this very room, his years had rounded
the full period of threescore and ten
Eleven years more had passed, and he
had been spared to see the noble aim o.
his life accomplished. There was still
no doubt, a chance of failure, but hope
now reigned in the old mans breast. On
the back of the Presidents quaint black
armchair there was emblazoned a half
sun brilliant with its gilded rays. As
the meeting was breaking up and Wash
ington arose, Franklin pointed to the
chair, and made it the text for prophecy
GAS I have been sitting here all these
weeks" said he, "I have often wondered
whether yonder sun is rising or setting
But now I know that it is rising sur! !!
Atlantic Monthly.